BACKING A HORSE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5355, 23 November 1928, Page 3

BACKING A HORSE.

NEW ZEALANDER IN AUSTRALIA.

HANDED £8 TO A STRANGER.

Charged with having by means of a trick stolen £8 frpm Frank May, farmhand, of Clyde, Gippsland, Alfred Ladewig, aged 38 yejars, appeared before the Melbourne City Cour.t recently.

May said: “I met L a .dewig in Flinders Street on the morning of October 8. He me where a cer.tain building was, and 1 said, ‘I don’t know. I am a stranger here.’ He said, ‘Where from ?.’ r replied, ‘New Zealand.’ He said, ‘I ,was through there myself about 18 months ago.’ 1 told ‘him that I was looking for work, andi he said, ‘1 mejt a friend frjom Queensland who will be wanting a man. If you like to come along I shall give you an introduction.’ 1 accompanied him to the Yarra Family Hotel, ;and a man came in whom Ladewig introduced to me as ‘Mr Jackson.* Ladewig said, ‘Mr Jackson is high up in racing circles here/ Mr Jackson called) Ladewig Aside and said to him, ‘Here iis the money from your win.’ He handed what appeared to be a bundle; of bank notes to Lad wig, who said to mq, ‘I want you to put £lO on a You will want the money to g,o to Queensland f9 r this job, as the fare is very deAr.’ I told him that I ihad left my money on the ship, but as we were; walking to the wharf I produced £8 fi;om my pocket and gave it to Ladewig. He said, ‘I have a certainty to .win.’ We returned to the hotel, and Ladewig said to Jackson, 'I shall make it up to £lo.’ He; appeared tct hand the money to Jackson. By appointment I met Ladewig in the afternoon, and we went to the hotel. Jackson was there, and he called us aside. He said, ‘Thq horse was beaten by a head.’ They shock hands with me and! went away, after having arranged to meet me at the post office dn October 11. Neither Ladewig nor Jackson at ,any time told me the namq of the horse bn which the money was invested. On the following evening I identified Ladewig at the cjty watch-house.” Detective said that accompanied by Senior Detective Lynch he arrested Ladewig in Flinders Street on October. 9- In reply to questions Ladewig denied having taken the money from May.

Ladewig pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial.